Portable rescue tools are commonly used in emergency situations such as, for example, a vehicle accident or a fire. Such rescue tools have included a pair of arms that are mounted on an end of a hydraulic cylinder. The arms cooperate to create a jaw that, depending on the situation, is used to either forcibly separate or crush and cut through parts of a vehicle or a building. In other applications, the tool can be used as a lifting mechanism with one arm placed in contact with the ground or other firm support surface. In an arm separating mode, the arms of the jaws are first closed and then wedged into a small space. As the arms are spread open, the material around the jaws separates to create a larger opening. In a cutting mode, the arms close to cut through metal during rescue operations.